1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of environmental control and transparent displays. More specifically, the present invention is related to a programmable electronic device for controlling the opacity of small-scale areas within a large-scale transparent membrane for applications in architecture.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
The current range of possibilities for displaying information on a building-scale includes all forms of static and illuminated signs and panels, projections, as well as building-sized LED panels and one directional OLED display arrays. The problem with most of the above is that the display device completely blocks light. For instance, in the case of facade displays such as those in Times Square, N.Y., there is no view or natural light inside the buildings used as displays, and similarly in the case of window scale displays. In the case of OLED display arrays, while light can travel across them, there is no efficient method for regulating the amount of light that does go through.
For the purpose of dynamic environmental control there is also existing work in the field of Liquid Crystal (LC), Suspended Particle Devices (SPD) and Electrochromic Devices (ECD). These are used to control the amount of light that crosses windows, mirrors, and alike in a variety of applications. No work has been done in pixellating these materials to produce a large scale display and accurate environmental control device with architectural applications.